Spike Owen played 13 seasons in the majors, primarily as a shortstop. He never won a Gold Glove, although various of his fielding stats sometimes led the league. Prior to his major league career he was the University of Texas during the time of Roger Clemens.

The Seattle Mariners drafted Spike in the first round (6th) pick on June 7, of the 1982 amateur draft.
He spent the rest of the year in the AA Eastern League with
the Lynn Sailors. He produced a .266 batting average with 68 hits in 241 at bats. Spike spent 1983 with the Salt Lake City Gulls where he hit .266 again. He also appeared in 80 games with the major league Mariners managing only a .196 BA
but the rookie shortstop fielded at a steady .970 clip.

Owen, along with Dan Gakeler, was traded to the Montreal Expos for John Dopson and Luis Rivera before the 1989 season and became the Expos' starting shortstop. He flourished defensively in Montreal, leading the league in fielding percentage twice and setting the NL record with 61 consecutive errorless games at shortstop, though that record has since been surpassed by Rey Ordonez.